Conveyer.



' UNITED STATEs PATENT Patented July 14,1903.

OFFIC I .couvavsa.

SPECIFICATION forming- PM Of Letters Patent NO, 733,804, July 14, Application filed larch 81, 1998. Serial 1T0. 150.482. (Io model.)

To all whom it mag concern.- v

Be it known that I, FREDERICK ELIJ-AH BLAISDELL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the county of. Surrey, England, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Conveyors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for conveying persons and goods from one place to another, either along a level or up'or down gradients.

According to my said invention I employ a series of rollers of small diameter mounted on spindles ,at suitable distances apart, the spindles being so spaced that the rollers-on each spindle project into the spaces between the rollers on the adjacent spindles, by which means a very even or continuous carryingsurface is provided. The rollers are rotated in the same direction'by any suitable means and the persons or goods to be conveyed are placed on said rollers. The said rollers are driven by means of a surface moving rela tively thereto and bearing against the under sides thereof, means being also 'provided,'if desired, whereby a portion of the said surface ean be moved at a difierent relative velocity than the remainder of such surface in order to accelerate, retard, or arrest the rotary motion of said rollers.

My said inventionalso comprises various detail improvements hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention can be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 a transverse vertical section, and Fig. 3 a plan, showing a portion of a conveyor-track constructed according to my said invention. Fig. 4 is a transverse section, and Fig. 5 a plan,illustratingatravelinghand-railadapted for use with my improved track. Fig. 6 is a side elevation, and Figz-7 a plan, illustrating a modified form of my improved apparatus.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

a a are the rollers, which are mounted at short distances apart on rotary spindles b b. The rollers a a on each spindle 12 extend into the spaces between the rollers on the adjacent spindles, as shown, so as to form as continuous a surface asfpossible. These rollers are preferably made separately and fixed onto the spindles b, or theycan be made integrally therewith.

The ends offthespindles b b turn in bearings c, which-are capable ofsliding vertically in sockets (2 ma frame e, so as toenable the rollers a a to' rest at their under sides on a traveling belt f. In some cases the bearings 0 maybe dispensed with. Thespindles b are prevented from movinglongitudinally by means-of metal plates g, secured on the outer sides of the sockets d and against which the rounded ends of the said spindles hear. The belt f is preferably endless, and the part thereof in contact with the rollers a a is supported on a series of bearer-rolls it, running freely in bearingsj in the frame a, while the return half of the said belt is supported on a second series of bearer-rolls k, arranged sufficiently near eachother to prevent undue.

sagging of the belt and similarly running in bearings j in the frame e. The said belt is driven through a driving-pulley arranged at one or both ends of the track and actuated, 5

for example, by an electric motor. Therollers a a can,-however, be driven in any other suitable manner. Lateral guide-rollers 1-, mounted on brackets on the frame 6, are preferably arranged at the edges of the belt f, as shown. In some instances two drivingbelts may be used, one at each side, in contactwith the spindles or with driving-rollers thereon instead of with the conveyor-rollers,

the spindles in this case being suitably length- 4 ened.

Where the track passes around curves, the rollers a a can be arranged with their. axes radiating from the center of curvature, in which case conical rollers may advantageously be employed. When different straight portions of the track have diflferent directions, the same may be worked by independent belts.

On. one or both sides of the track is arranged a traveling hand-rail, preferably consisting of a series of wooden or other balls or handles Z, mounted on studs or'slides m, of white-metal or other suitable material,which slide between guide bars n, of steel or other suitable materiaL'mounted on a rail 0, supported at a convenient height to enable the balls I to be grasped by persons on the track. The slides m are secured to a belt or its equivalent, 1), which is driven, by any suitable means, so as to travel at the same speed as the periphery of the rollers a a-i. 0., of the surface of the track. The handles 1 are preferably provided with an apron or flanges q, extending over the guide-bars n, so as to prevent the hands or clothes of persons grasping the said handles from being soiled by any oil or other matter there may be on the said guide-bars.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the spindles b b are mounted in endless chains s s, which extend over wheels t t at the ends of the track, one or other of these wheels be ing used for driving the said chains. The spindles b in this arrangement can either be arranged to turn in bearings arranged in or pivotally or rigidly secured to the links of the chains 3 or they can be fixed to the said links. In this latter case the rollers a a are either mounted on sleeves turning freely on the said spindles or are mounted so as to be capable of rotating independently thereon.

The rollers a a roll, during part of their travel, on a plane surface or floor 11., thus causing their upper surfaces forming the conveyer-track to move in the same direction to the chains 8 s, the surface speed of the said track relatively to the floor 'ubeing equal to twice that of the said chains. of the track at which the passengers or goods, respectively, step onto or are placed on the conveyin -surface I provide a belt f, arranged similarly to that described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 3. This belt is driven in the same direction as and at double the speed of the chains 8 s, so as to enable any person or object on this part of 'the track to remain stationary relatively to the floor u. On gradually bringing this belt to rest the speed of the said person or object will be gradually increased from zero up to that of the remaining part of the track. If desired, this belt can be provided at the other end of the track and be arranged to work in the inverse manner to that above described for'the purpose of bringingpersons on the track slowly to rest. Moreover, parts of the floor u can be replaced by a belt or belts running in the opposite direction to the chains s s, so as to increase the surface speed ofthe track. 7

When used for ascending or descending gradients and in some ca'seson level floors, the rollers a a may be' covered with indiarubber or other suitable material to afford increased hold for the shoes of passengers, and thus prevent slipping. Moreover, when ascending or descending gradients I prefer to continue the conveyor 2. short distance onthe level at each end of the gradient.

At the end.

llhat I claim is- I 1. A conveyor-track comprising, in combination, a series of spindles, rollers arranged at intervals on said. spindles, the. rollers on each spindle extending into the spaces between the rollers on the adjacent spindles,

and means for rotating and for supporting said rollers. 2. A conveyer-track comprising, in combination, a series of spindles, rollers arranged at intervals on said spindles, the rollers on each spindle extending into the spaces between the rollers on the adjacent spindles, a surface bearing against the under. sides of said rollers, and means for moving said surface and said rollers relatively to each other, substantially as described.

3. A conveyor-track comprising a seriesof spindles, rollers mounted at intervals on said spindles, the rollers on each spindle extending into the spaces between the rollers on the adjacent spindles, a surface bearing against the under sides of said rollers, means for moving said surface and said rollers relatively to each other, and means for moving one part of said surface relatively to another part of said surface, substantially as described. p

4. A conveyor-track comprisinga series of spindles, rollers mounted at intervals on said spindles, the rollers on each spindle extending into the spaces between the rollers on the adjacent spindles, chains bearing said spin dles, sprocket-wheels bearing said chains, a fixedand a movable surface supporting the under sides of said rollers, and means for moving said movable surface, substantially as described.

5. A conveyor comprising a series of spin adjacent spindles, a surface bearing against the under sides of said rollers,means for moving said surface and saidrollers relatively to each other, guide-bars supported at one side of the track so formed, a traveling band, a series of slides movable along said guide-bars and connected to said traveling band, and

' handles mounted on said slides,substantially as described.

6. A conveyor-track comprising, in combination, a series of spindles, rollers arranged at intervals along said spindles, the rollers on each spindleextending into the spaces between the rollers on the adjacent spindles, means for maintaining said spindles at definite distances apart, and means for rotating and supporting said rollers, substantially as described. l

7. A conveyor-track comprising, in combination, a series of spindles,rollers arranged at intervals alongsaid spindles, the rollers on each spindle extending into the spaces between the rollers on the adjacent spindles,

means for maintaining said.- spindles at defimy handin presence of two subscribing witnlite disltances apafruagurffice bealgng agairflst nesses. t eun er si eso sai -ro ers, an means or moving said surface and said rollers rela- P FREDERICK I BLAISDEII" 5 tively to each other, substantially as de- Witnesses:

scribed; 'HERBER'D A. BEESTON; In testimony whereof I have hereunto set v WALTER J. SKERTEN. 

